Braiding machine



E; F. CLARK BRAIDING MACHINE July 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14. 1949 k Y W wk FY Inventor -Eayene F. (Var/f E. F. CLARK BRAIDING MACHINE July 4, 1950' 4 sheets-sheet '2 Filed Jan. l4.' 1949 .Z'uyene Atto'rney July 4, 1950' E. F. CLARK BRAIDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 14, 1949 In'uz'ntor Alrorncy Patented July 4, 1950 'BRAIDING MACHINE Eugene F. Clark, Leaksville, N. 0., assignor to Pine .Tree Rug and Accessories, Inc., Newcastle, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 70,891

11 Claims. 1

This invention. relates to a novel machine of extremely simple construction for use in braidin strips of cloth to form braids from which rugs or other articles may be manufactured.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a machine which may be constructed in various sizes for either home or commercial use and which utilizes tubes containing the cloth strips to be braided and which are carried back and forth and transversely of the machine and individually displaced vertically for crossing the tubes back and forth over one another so that the material which is withdrawn from corresponding ends of the tubes will be braided after leaving the tubes.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide a braiding machine having means contained in or adjacent the discharge ends of the tubes and extending therefrom for folding the strips of cloth as they are withdrawn from the tubes and for maintaining said strips folded until braided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide power driven means for actuating transversel reciprocating carriers having cam and pawl means for vertically displacing the cloth carrying tubes from lower to upper carriers whereby as the lower carriers are moved in each direction an outside tube will be elevated and dropped between the two remaining tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide means actuated by the driving means of said carriers for revolving a friction means for withdrawing the-braided strips from the machine and for exerting a pull on said strips to withdraw them mm the tubes. 1

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a machine for accomplishing all of th aforementioned results which is of extremel simple construction and which may be economically manufactured and sold in various sizes for either home or commercial use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a side. elevational view thereof looking from the bottom to the top of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View on an enlarged scale taken substantially alon a plane as, indicated by the line 33 of Figure l and showing one pair of the tube carriers;

Figure 4 is a, fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale similar to Figure 3 but showing the carriers in another position of their movement and illustrating in dotted lines a portion of the actuating mechanism by means of which the tubes are moved into engagement with the upper carrier;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figures 3 and 4 but showing another position of the carriers;

Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged cross sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 6-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is an enlarged longitudinal substantially central sectional view through the discharge end of one of the cloth carrying tubes;

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of said tube taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the-line ill-I I of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective View of said end of the tube;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line |2-l'2 of Figure 1;

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line l3--I 3 of Figure 1; and

Figures 14 and 15 are enlarged cross sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines M--l 4 and l5-l 5, respectively, of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the braiding machine in its entirety is designated gener-a-l-ly I E and includes a frame designated generally ll composed of substantially identical frame sections |8-and 19 each of which includes a plurality of upright walls or plates 20 which are connected in longitudinally spaced relationship rela-, tively to one another by a strip 2! which is secured toeach of said plates in any suitable manner and which is disposed at the top and adjacent the inner edges thereof. Certain of the plates 28 are provided with apertured ears 22 and complementary cars 22 of the sections [8 and I9 are connected by spacing rods 23 having threaded ends each of which carries a pair of lock nuts 24 which engage opposite sides of the ears 22 for :adjustably connecting the sections l8 and I 9 in laterally spaced relationship relatively to one another. Between certain of the wall members '20, particularly and at least between the two forwardmost wall members or those located at the left-hand, front end of the machine I 8 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, are provided the longitudinal wall portions 25 in connection with each of the frame sections I8 and I9, as best illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 and for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The aligned wall members 25 of each of the frame sections are provided with aligned openings. The openings of the wall members '20 of the frame section I8 afford a. journal for a shaft 26 which extends longitudinally through said frame section, as best illustrated in Figur l and which has a belt pulley 21 fixed thereto adjacent the forward end of th machine I6 and over which is trained an endless belt a portion of which is shown at 2'8 and which may be driven by any suitable motor or other power source for revolving the shaft 26 which forms the drive shaft of the machine I6. The shaft 26 is revolved in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 13. Another shaft 29 extends longitudinally of and is similarly journaled by the walls 20 of the section I9. The

shafts 26 and 29 are providedwith worms 34! which mesh with worm gears 3i which are fixed to the ends of a countershaft 32 journal in the frame section walls 25, as best illustrated in Figures l and 13, for driving the shaft 29 from the shaft '26 and in the opposite direction.

As best seen in Figure 13, a shaft 33 is journaled in the wall members 25 adjacent the forward end of the machine I and forwardly of the countershaft 32 and has a wheel 34 fixed to the intermediate portion thereof and. which is provided with a circumferentiallyextending groove 35 in its periphery. A pair ofvertically slotted journal members 36 are secured to and extend upwardly from the frame sections I8 and I9 directly above the shaft 33 to provide a journal for the ends of a shaft 3'! which is mounted therein for vertical reciprocating movement;

A roller 38 is fixed to the shaft 31 and is of a width to fit into the wheel groove 35 and normally rests on the upper portion of thebed thereof. The ends of shaft 31 are journaled in journal blocks 36a which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the slotted uprights 36. It will be readily apparent that the weight of the roller 38 and shaft 31 will retain the peripheral portion of the roller in engagement with the wheel groove 35, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The forwardmost wall member 29 of the frame section I9 has a recess 39 for accommodating a ratchet Wheel 40 which is fixed to one end of the shaft 33.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, a lever M is pivotally mounted at 42 at one end thereof on the outer side of the wall 25 of the'frame section I9 and said lever extends forwardly therefrom through the recess 39 and has a pawl 43 pivotally connected to its forward end and extending upwardly therefrom and which is adapted to enjgage the radial faces 44 of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 40 and shaft 33 in a step-by-step movement and in a counterclockwise direction, {as seen in Figure 2. A contractile spring 46 which is connected to the outer end of the lever 4| and to a portion of the frame section l9 4 urges said lever upwardly. A roller 4'! is journaled on one side of the lever 4I, intermediate of the ends of said lever for engaging under a disk 48 which is eccentrically fixed to the shaft 32 to form a cam for swinging the lever 4| downwardly at each revolution of the shaft 32 so that the shaft 33 and friction wheel 34 will be turned a distance equal to the space between two adjacent teeth 44 each time that the shaft 32 makes a revolution. A pawl 49 is journaled on a pin 56 which projects outwardly from the wall 25 of the section I9 and extends upwardly therefrom for engaging the ratchet teeth 44 to prevent the ratchet wheel 40 from turning clockwise asseen in Figure 2 when the pawl 43 is moving upwardly and riding over the teeth 44. A contractile spring 5| which is anchored to said wall 25 yieldably retains the pawl 49 in engagement with the teeth 44.

As best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the machine I6 is provided with two longitudinally spaced transversely extending tube carrier units of identical construction and each of which is designated generally 52. Each unit 52 includes pairs of transversely aligned upright guide members 53 which are supported on the top portion of the frame sections I8 and I9 and which are provided with detachable crossheads 54 at the tops thereof. The pairs of uprights 53 provide guides for a lower tube carrier bar 55 and an upper tube carrier bar 56 which is disposed above its complementary bar 55 and which bars are mounted for transverse sliding movement in the guides 53 and relatively to the machine frame II. As best seen in Figures 6 and '7, the tube carrying bars 55 and 56 are disposed with their planes in vertical positions so that the lower edge of the upper bar 56 rests on'the upper edge of the bar 55 or is disposed just above and adjacent thereto. The lower bar 55 is provided with an elongated recess 58 which opens upwardly and which is provided intermediate of its ends with an upwardly tapering projection 59. The recess 58 is adapted to support portions of three cloth carrying tubes designated generally A, B and C. The tubes A, B and C extend longitudinally of the machine I 5 and transversely through the recess 58 and as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and '7, the portion of the recess 58 on each side of the projection 59 is of a sufficient length to accommodate two of the tubes, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The upper bar 56 is provided with a downwardly opening notch or recess 60 of a size to receive and accommodate only one of the tubes A, B or C.

The shaft 26 is provided with a pair of shell cams BI and 62, as best seen in Figure 1, which form a part of each tube carrier unit 52. The shell cam 6I is provided with a generally ovalshaped endless recess or groove 63 which opens outwardly of one side thereof and as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7 and the shell cam 62 is provided with an endless oval-shaped recess 64 which opens outwardly of the opposite side thereof and in a direction toward the open side of the groove 63. As seen in Figures 1 and 6, a shaft 65 extends between two of the wall members 20 of the frame section I8 and has two levers 66 and 6'! swingably mounted at their lower ends thereon. The shorter of these levers, namely the lever 66, is connected at its upper end by a link 68 tothe adjacent end of the lower carrier bar 55 and the upper end of the longer lever 61 is similarly connected by a'link 69 to the corresponding end of the upper carrier bar 56. The

abrsgcsi lever: 661i has a roller: journaled on; one; side thereon and which runs in the:- grcove cam way 81 and; as seen: in Figure '8, the; lever 51 has a roller 1| journaled on one side thereof and which runs in thergroovey on cam: way 64? of the'shell cam 82: The parts: previously described constituteonerof' the: carrier units 52 and which support. the tubes A, B and-C adjacent. the corresponding ends thereof and, asseen in Figur-e; 12, an identical:- tube: carrying unit 52 is: mounted on: the machine; l6 for; supporting the fabric containing tubes: adj acenttheir opposite ends.

The machine this also provided with twosets or pairs of tube. shifting units each designated generally 12'- and which are disposed: irr longitudinally: spaced relationship to one: another and between the tube carryingunits 52:. Each of the tube": shifting units 12 is composed of a pair of corresponding sections which are; mounted in opposed" relationship laterally spaced relatively to the. machine frame HE and. one: on. each of the framesections H3 and 19; As best seeniin Figures 1;. 2'- and. 6,. each: tube. shifting unit. section. 12 includes an elongated bar 13 which is fixedly supported on one of the strips 21 and extends transverselythereof. A pair of plates 14 straddle the. bar 13" and are integrally connected along their: upper edges by a top: wall. portion 15;. The bar 13 has an upwardly projecting: intermediate portion. 1:6 for receiving a' -pin. I! which extends therethrough and'through the-plates M for pivotall y mounting said plates for vertical. rocking movement-on the bar 13 A relatively wide'lever 18 has slotted intermediate: portion -19 through which the outer end; of the bar t3: extends, as seen in. Figure 2', and as seen in Figure 6;, a. pin extends throughsaid outer end. of the bar 1'3 and transversely through the. lever 18 to form apivot tea on which the. lever Wis mounted to. rock relatively to; the bar 13.. -The shafits 26 and 2-9 each have two disks 8.0 fixed thereto. The disks 80 are each provided with. two diametrically opposed projections: 81: which; extend: from the peripheries thereof and which are. provi'ded with rounded circumferential'ly spaced sides. One ofthe disks: functions with each of the four sections of the tube shitting units 12. The lower end of each: lever 18 bifurcated to receive a roller 82' which is .i'ournal'ed therein on a. pin 83 and which rides on the periphery or one of the disks 80 Since the shaft 26 and the disks. 8! carried thereby are turning ina clockwise direction as seen in Figure 6 the rollers of they levers 18 which are actuated by the. disks 8! of the shaft 26 wi-llbe rocked bythe promotions-8.1 in a counterclockwi'se direction, as seen-in Figure 6.-,:andas the shaft :29 revolving counterclockwise the rollers 82 or the levers 1:8 which engage, the disks 8& thereof will be rocked in a clockwise direction so that the upper; inner portionsof said levers wil l swing. inwardly and downwardly relatively to the frame I1. Each of the levers 18 is provided with a bifurcated upper, end 84, the turcations of'which straddle the pair ofplates: M: of the tube actuating section. with. which---said lever is associated and said. furcations 84' have a pin 85, extending between the free ends thereof and through aligned outwardly opening slots 8-5 in the plates [4. A. pawl 81' is pivotall-yv mounted by a pin 88 on the inner portion or each bar 13 and has an inwardly and'upwardly extending hook shaped portion 89;. rora purpose which will here.- inafter become apparent and whichnormal-lyextends into the space beneathand between two of the tubes designated A, 3250K? The upper portion of; each pawl -8 9: is; provided with a slot to receive a pin 9| which extends transversely/between the plates M. Saidi plates 141 at their inner ends are provided with downwardly inclined concave surfaces: 9% for a purpose; which will! hereinafter become apparent.

The-shell cams- GI and: 62 are-disposed at: 90 angles: to one another so that the tube carrier bars: 55 and 56: will: reciprocate:simultaneously in opposite directions; As the bars: 55 and 56 approach; their positions asillustrated in Figure 7 the tube shifting units or sections 12- which are supported on the frame section. I'9 will be actuated. by the; disks 80 0f the shaft 26 for rocking the levers t8: thereot counterclockwise as seen in Figure 6 to cause the pins 8150f said levers. to exert a downwardpressure on the plates T4: to cause said plates to rock as a unit to their'dotted line; positions of Figure 4 so that the right-hand tube'C will be engaged by the. extensions 9.3 crche plates M which are. swung upwardly for forcing said tube-Q upwardly into the notchLBO; of the upper carrier bar 56' of each carrier'uni-t. This will occur as the bars 55 are moving; from left to right and. the bars 56 from left to right of Figure-l and thereafter thetube B will move into contact with'. the; inner edges .94. of the guide members. 54' and Willa be prevented thereby from moving to-the right-hand. end or the.- recess: 58; as seen in Figure, 4., As the notchfil); passes over the tube, B, the tube 6 will drop due: to its weight between the tubes A. and B and; as the left-hand end of thenotch 58,jas seen Figure 4,15 exposed beyond the inner edges 94: of the guide members 53 011 the opposite sideof the machinejsaidtube A slides from right. to. left in Figure 4' to permit the tube C to enterthe recess '58 directly to the left of the. projection 59. As: the plates-14. are rocked as seen in Figure 4, the. pawl 81- connected thereto will be rocked to cause its upturned free end 81a to swing downwardly so that-thetube B can pass thereover... Thereafter end 81d will vreturnto its normal position of Figured to retain the tube B at the: right-hand end (Figure 4); of recess 58- to. provide: a space between the tube B and projection as for thereafter receiving. the tube. A, as will hereinafter be described. As the bottom carrier bar 55. thereafter moves to the left and as the top carrier bar 56 moves. tothe right of Figured, the tube. actuating units orsections 12 on'the other side. of. the; machine will engage and; elevate the tube A inthe samemanner as previously described into the notch so and so that said tube- A will thereafter be dropped. between the tubes C: and B and to the right of, the projection 59. this operation will continue for crossing the tubes back and forth one over the other in the same manner that three strips of material arebrai-ded by hand. I

The machine I6 is provided with a recessed plate at its forward endfor receiving the forward ends of the tubes A, B and C. and a resessed plate 88 .at its rear end for receiving the rear ends of said tubes. Said front and rear tube ends are. provided with hexagon-shaped portions. 91 for fitting into the recesses of the plates 95 and 8-6, the shapes of which recesses are best illustrated. in Figures 14 and 15, respectivel-y. The recesses of the plates 95. and 9.6. are shaped to. permit the hexagon-shaped ends. 91. of the tubes to slide. laterally and vertically oi the machineframe 1'? but. the. flatsurfaces defining said recesses prevent the tubes. from revolving. relatively tothe carrier bars 55. and 5x6 due. to

It will therefore be readily apparent that.

engagement of the-lands of the portions 51 therewith.

'Each of the tubes A, B and C is adapted. to containalongstrip of fabric 98 which may be disposed therein inv a lapped or folded. condi tion, as illustrated in Figure 9, which fabric Each plug I00 is relalarly shaped lining 102 which is provided with a longitudinally extending'web or flange I03 the outer'restricted end of which projects outwardly from the outer end of the plug I98 and the longitudinal free edgeof which is spaced from and disposed relatively" near a portion of the conical'wall of the lining I02, as best illustrated ing'Figure 9. The lapped strip of fabric 98 is withdrawn through the bore of the-lining llll and in passing outwardly therethrough the longitudinal side edge portions of thefabric 98 which i extend upwardly are 'curled inwardly by .the

taper of said lining l0! and engage and are curled downwardly by the flange 103 so that the 1 fabric strip 98 is discharged from its tubeiA, B or Cfolded into four plies as'illustrated in Figure 11 and passes therefrom longitudinally and forwardly of the machine l6 and beneath a guide bar I04 which extends across 'theupper edges of the walls 25 and thence through the groove of the wheel 34 and between saidwhee and the upper traction wheel38.

From the preceding description it will be readily apparent that the wheel 34 is driven in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 12 by the pawl 43 and rat'chet 48, as previously described, and the weight of the wheel 38 on the fabric strips '98 will cause said strips to be drawn out of the'tubes A, B and C and forwardly through the machine past the wheels 34' and 38. This movement of the wheel 34 will be a slow step-by-step movement and as it is occurring, as previously described, the tubes A, B and C will be actuated for movement back and forth across one another so that the strips of fabric 1 98 after passing from said tubes "will be braided between the time that they leave the tubes and engage the wheels 34 and 38 so that the fabric strips 98 will pass forwardly from the machine in the form of a braid I85.

It will thus be readily apparent that the machine I6 will effectively function to fold and braid three strips of fabric of any desired length. Obviously, the machine [6 may be made in various lengths for accommodating the tubes A, B and C of various lengths and may be driven at different speeds by any suitable variable speed motor or power source which drives the belt 28.

After the strips 98 have been completely paid out from the tubes, the crossheads 54 may be removed so that the upper carrier bars 56 may be swung upwardly to remove the tubes and so that other tubes filled with fabric strips 98 may" be placed in the machine to replace the empty tubes. For this purpose one or the other of the plates 95 or 96 is also removed.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may. obviously be resorted to; without departing from the spiritor scope ofthe invention as hereinafterdefined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: r 1. A braiding machine comprising an elongated frame having one 'end constituting the. front or discharge end of the machine, laterally-spaced longitudinally extending shafts journaled in the machine frame, one ofsaid shafts constituting a driven shaft, countershaft means for driving the other shaft from the driven shaft for causing the shafts to be revolved in opposite directions, a

shaft journaled transverse to the machine adjacent its forward-end, a wheel fixed'to said last mentioned shaft andprovided with a circumferentially grooved periphery, pawl and'ratchet means for revolving said last-mentioned shaft and wheel and actuated by said countershaft means, a traction wheel disposed above said grooved wheel and engaging inthe groove thereof, means for 'journaling and supporting said traction wheel forvertical T sliding movement above the grooved wheel, three cloth strip carry ing tubes disposed in said machine and "longitudinally thereof, a carrier unit for supporting said tubes in the machine; cam means actuated by the rotation of one of said first mentioned shafts for reciprocating the carrier unit trans? verselyof the machine, a pair of tube actuating sections forming an actuating unit supported on said machine and with said sections'disposed in laterally spaced relationship; 'cam means actuated by said first mentioned shafts for rocking said tube actuatingsections in vertical planes as said carrier means is 'reciprocatednfor alternately lifting the tube located .adjacentone longitudinal side of the machine for causing said tube to be" deposited between thetwo remaining tubes, said actuating unitsection at each side of the machine being timed to operate as the carrier unit'move's toward said side of the machine frame for. elevating and displacing the tube located nearest said side of the machine into a position between the other two tubes, and the fabric strips contained within said tubes be-. ing withdrawn from corresponding ends thereof by engagement of said strips with said grooved wheel and traction wheel whereby the strips will be withdrawn from the tubes and braided by the movement of the tubes back and forth across one another as the strips are being extracted therefrom. l 2. A machine as in claim 1, said grooved wheel and traction'wheel being spaced a sufficient distance from the discharge ends ofthe tubes to permit the Strips'of fabric to be braided by the tubes after leaving thedischarge ends thereof, and a guide member disposed between said wheels and the tubes and beneath which the strips are drawn and guided into engagement with said wheels. 3 3

3. A machine as in claim 1, the pawl of said pawl and ratchet means being reciprocated relatively to the ratchet to cause said grooved wheel to be revolved in one direction only and in a stepby-step movement. 1

4.A machine as in claim 1, asecond carrier unit for supporting said tubes disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned carrier unit, and a second tube actuating unit composed of laterally spaced tube actuating sections mounted on the machine in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned.- tube actuating unit 5. A machine as in claim 1, a second carrier unit for supporting said tubes disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned carrier unit, and a second tube actuating unit composed of laterally spaced tube actuating sections mounted on the machine in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned tube actuating unit, each of said carrier units being actuated by said driven shaft and simultaneously in uniformity with the other carrier unit.

6. A machine as in claim 1, a second carrier unit for supporting said tubes disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned carrier unit, and a second tube actuating unit composed of laterally spaced tube actuating sections mounted on the machine in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mentioned tube actuating unit, the tube actuator sections of the tube actuating units being actuated by the first mentioned longitudinally extending shafts and the actuating sections disposed at each side of the machine being simultaneously actuated for simultaneously engaging longitudinally spaced portions of one of the tubes.

7. A machine as in claim 1, and guide means for engaging the ends of said tubes for prevent ing the tubes from rotating in the machine as said tubes are displaced back and forth across one another.

8. A machine as in claim 1, said carrier unit including a lower and an upper carrier bar, said bars being reciprocated transversely of the machine and simultaneously in opposite directions,

said lower carrier bar having an upwardly opening recess sized to accommodate four of said tubes and in which the three tubes are supported, said upper carrier bar having a downwardly opening recess sized to receive one of the tubes and into which one of said tubes is elevated by one of the tube actuating sections as the tubes approach each side of the machine for being carried by said upper bar into a position to be discharged between the two remaining tubes supported in the recess of the lower carrier bar.

9. A machine as in claim 1, each of said tube actuating sections including a member disposed transverse to the machine and mounted to be rocked vertically by the cam means thereof for elevating the inner end thereof to cause said inner end to engage under and elevate the tube located adjacent thereto.

10. A machine as in claim 1, each of said tubes being provided with an open discharge end, a removable plug for closing said discharge end having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and tapered toward its outer end and through which the fabric strip is withdrawn from the tube, said tapered bore functioning to fold the fabric strip as it is withdrawn therethrough.

11. A machine as in claim 1, each of said tubes being provided with an open discharge end, a removable plug for closing said discharge end having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and tapered towardits outer end and through which the fabric strip is withdrawn from the tube, said tapered bore functioning to fold the fabric strip as it iswithdrawn therethrough, and a flange extending longitudinally of said bore for turning the folded longitudinal edges of the strip inwardly and back upon themselves.

EUGENE F. CLARK.

N 0 references cited. 

